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Voluntourism wins out with today’s adventurers

22nd October 2009 Print

Voluntourism is still one of the major buzzwords when it comes to holidays, but according to Acacia Africa, a softer version where charitable pursuits are juxtaposed with adventure is winning out with today’s travellers.

The tour operator’s new 9-day Cheetah & Kruger Combination Voluntour, which will be featured in the forthcoming brochure, is the perfect example.

Heath Ashcroft, Marketing Director of Acacia Africa, comments: “A growing number of travellers are looking to give something back to the host country they are visiting, hence our decision to launch a dedicated voluntour section late last year. However, adventurers still want to experience the destination as a whole, whether that’s enjoying the traditional African safari, participating in village visits or travelling off the beaten track on a overland journey.”

A “hands on” experience, Acacia Africa’s new itinerary includes opportunities to be directly involved in the care and rehabilitation of animals at the “Race Against Extinction Project; volunteers working in close proximity with the brown hyena, suni antelope, wild dog, cheetah, and a wide variety of vulture species. Adventurers can also enjoy Big Five safaris in the Kruger National Park, two days of game viewing completing the tour.

An established venture, the project, which is set in the foothills of the beautiful Magaliesberg Mountains, is one of the oldest conservation volunteer schemes for the African cheetah and has been in operation for 37 years.

£1,085pp (based on two sharing) + local payment from £94pp. The price includes all tour highlights, transport, accommodation, park fees, sleeping mat, road tolls and taxes, meals as indicated, camping and cooking equipment and services of driver and tour leader. Excludes, visas, travel insurance, flights, departure taxes, airport transfers, tips, sleeping bag and items of a personal nature. Accommodation is based in single, twin, triple and quad rooms with shared bathroom facilities (5-nights), twin share rondavels at a private lodge (one-night) and pre-erected two person dome tents (two- nights).

Departures Monday, Wednesday & Saturday year round.

For more information, visit acacia-africa.com.